"Science Museum Gets $1 Million Donation"

Miami Science Museum Receives $1 Million From The Jack Taylor Family Foundation

Posted March 16, 2012


The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science

Foundation Commits Gift In Celebration of the Museum's Upcoming Groundbreaking on New Downtown Home,

MIAMI, FL - The Jack Taylor Family Foundation has committed $1 million to the Miami Science Museum's capital campaign to build the new $275 million Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science in Downtown Miami. The Taylor gift will be recognized through the naming of the new Museum's Welcome and Ticketing Center. The Miami Science Museum broke ground on its new building on Friday, February 24th.

"We are very proud to be supporting the Miami Science Museum as they break ground on the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science. Our foundation is dedicated to enriching the community and we are confident that the new Museum will build on the current museum's legacy and continue to be a strong resource for all," saidElizabeth Taylor, President of the Jack Taylor Family Foundation.

The Taylor Family Foundation's $1 million commitment to the museum's new building puts the museum in its final stretch of private fundraising - with over $70 million raised out of its $100 million goal. The remaining funds that complete the overall project cost are granted by Miami-Dade County's Building Better Communities Bond Program, overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004, and other government sources.

Designed by internationally renowned Grimshaw Architects, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science will bring the most spectacular high-design experience to Miami's already bustling cultural landscape. The 250,000 square-foot complex is intended to act as a demonstration of ecological and sustainability principles, harnessing energy from water, sun, wind and museum visitor energy to power exhibits and conserve resources.

The museum is structured around a lushly landscaped indoor and outdoor "living core" of terrestrial and aquatic spaces, featuring a 600,000 gallon aquarium facility, a full dome 3-D planetarium, hands-on exhibits, cutting edge technology and two additional wings of exhibition space, classrooms and cafes. With the support of the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County and others in the community, the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is on track to be a stand-out destination, inspiring visitors to learn, share and embrace science and technology. The new museum is slated to break ground on Feb. 24, 2012 and open in early 2015.

ABOUT THE JACK TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION
Founded in 1968 by Jack Taylor, originally from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Mr. Taylor came to Miami in 1938, he went on to become a successful real estate developer and businessman.

The foundation was originally called the Jack Taylor Foundation. The original funding came from a $62,500 life insurance policy paid upon the death of a business partner. Mr. Taylor said he "did not want profit from someone else's misery" and the money was used to start the foundation. The foundation continued to grow through the efforts of Mr. Taylor and his family. In 1986, the foundation was renamed The Jack Taylor Family Foundation to include his wife Elly (deceased 1991) and his sons Carl and Mitchell.

In 1991, his son Mitchell became President while Jack continued as Chairman until his death in 1995. In 2004, Mitchell's wife Elizabeth became the President and continues to serve in that capacity. Together they are proud to continue the foundation's work and its motto "Helping others to help themselves" through its donations.

ABOUT MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM
Miami Science Museum aims to make a difference in people's lives by inspiring them to appreciate the impact that science and technology can have on every facet of our world. For over 60 years, Miami Science Museum's award-winning educational programs, family-focused exhibits, historic planetarium, and rehabilitative Wildlife Center and Clinic have enriched locals and tourists alike. In 2015, the legacy continues with the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, a new world-class, state-of-the-art facility designed by Grimshaw Architects in the heart of downtown Miami. Miami Science Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. For more information about the current Museum or our future home, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, visit www.miamisci.org or call (305) 646-4200.

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